Vanity (singer)

Denise Katherine Matthews was born in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on January 4, 1959,{{Citation | ISSN=0021-5996 | access-date=February 18, 2016 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uLYDAAAAMBAJ | title=Vanity 6 Lives Out Daring Fantasies On Stage | date=January 1983 | magazine=Jet | publisher=Johnson Publishing Company | pages=58-62 | quote=When Prince introduced Susan, born Jan. 21, Brenda, Jan. 24 and Vanity, Jan. 4, there was an immediate attraction and the three are just as close today as ever.}} the daughter of Helga Senyk and Levia James Matthews.{{cite journal|url=http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2007/12/10/her-name-was-vanity-barely-into-her-30s-she-had-become-an-old-woman-on-the-inside-the-beauty-queen-from-niagara-falls-was-told-she-had-three-days-to-live-it-was-her-lowest-point-and-the-one|access-date=February 18, 2016|first=John|last=Law|date=December 10, 2007|journal=Welland Tribune|title=Her name was Vanity; Barely into her '30s, she had become an old woman on the inside ...the beauty queen from Niagara Falls was told she had three days to live. It was her lowest point. And the one...}} Her mother was of Polish-Jewish descent, and her father was African-American.{{cite web | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1997/06/04/former-siren-is-singing-a-new-song/b0eceba0-e6f0-403a-a786-53bc3015a054/ | title=Former Siren Is Singing A New Song | publisher=The Washington Post | date=June 3, 1997 | accessdate=December 21, 2024 | last=Courtland | first=Milloy | quote=Prince Rogers Nelson, of Minneapolis, the doe-eyed seducer of black and Italian parentage, would become known as much for his taste in women as for his musical prowess. Denise K. Matthews, of Niagara Falls, N.Y., daughter of an African American father and a Polish Jewish mother, was a big part of the reason.}} Matthews had three sisters, Patricia, Deborah, Renay and several half siblings.[https://bossip.com/1284091/bossip-exclusive-80s-singer-vanity-leaves-most-of-her-estate-to-church/ "BOSSIP Exclusive: 80s Singer Vanity Leaves Most Of Her Estate To Church"]. Bossip. February 18, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2019.

Her father died when she was 15 years old.{{cite journal |date=January 5, 1987|title=Vanity Explains Why She Called Her Father A 'Gorilla'|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2bMDAAAAMBAJ&dq=vanity+Tanya%27s+Island.&pg=PA58|journal=Jet|pages=58–59}} Matthews revealed to Jet in 1993 that her father physically and verbally abused her for years. The abuse caused her to have a negative self-image. "For 15 years, he beat me badly... I wish I could see my father in heaven, but I won't. He's in hell," she said.{{cite journal |last=Collier|first=Alldore|date=January 11, 1993|title=Vanity Tells Why She Gave Up Sexy Image And Became Born-Again Christian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XsIDAAAAMBAJ&dq=vanity+denise+matthews+jet&pg=PA58|journal=Jet|pages=58–60}}

Matthews began entering local beauty pageants before moving to Toronto, where she modeled. She won the Miss Niagara Hospitality title in 1977 and went on to compete for Miss Canada in 1978.{{cite news |url=https://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/opinion-story/8185857-denise-matthews-the-niagara-falls-beauty-queen-who-became-vanity/ |work=Niagara Falls Review |title=Denise Matthews: The Niagara Falls beauty queen who became Vanity |date=February 16, 2016}} At age 17, she moved to New York City to further her career. She signed with Zoli Model Agency.{{cite web |last=Perrone|first=Pierre|date=February 23, 2016|title=Vanity: Prince protégée who fronted the synth-pop trio Vanity 6|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/vanity-prince-protegee-who-fronted-the-synthpop-trio-vanity-6-fell-prey-to-drug-abuse-and-became-a-bornagain-christian-a6892006.html |access-date=January 1, 2022|website=The Independent|language=en}} However, because she was short in stature, her modeling career was limited to commercials and photoshoots and excluded runway work. Vanity appeared in commercials for Pearl Drops toothpaste before completing a modeling stint in Japan. She also appeared on the cover for Nightlife Unlimited's 1980 album Let's Do It Again.{{cite web |date=February 15, 2021|title=I Don't Like This Groove: From Denise Matthews to Vanity and Back (EUR Video Throwback)|url=https://eurweb.com/2021/02/15/i-dont-like-this-groove-from-denise-matthews-to-vanity-and-back-eur-video-throwback/ |access-date=January 1, 2022|website=EURweb}}

Matthews had a small role in the horror movie Terror Train (1980), which was filmed in Montreal in 1979. She then went to Toronto to film the lead role in the 1980 B-movie Tanya's Island.{{cite web |date=March 22, 2013|title=Trailers from Hell: Mick Garris on Pseudo-Sexploitation Fantasy 'Tanya's Island'|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2013/03/trailers-from-hell-mick-garris-on-pseudo-sexploitation-fantasy-tanyas-island-198862/ |access-date=December 31, 2021|website=IndieWire|language=en}} She was credited as D.D. Winters for both films.

Matthews appeared on the cover of the funk band Cameo's album cover, Alligator Woman, released in March 1982.{{cite web |date=July 23, 2016|title=Vanity: From Sexy Prince Protégé to Evangelist • EBONY|url=https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/prince-vanity-tribute/|access-date=January 1, 2022|website=EBONY|language=en-US}} She had met musician Prince at the American Music Awards earlier that year.{{cite book |last=Tudahl|first=Duane|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ygtvDwAAQBAJ&dq=vanity+prince+1981&pg=PA13|title=Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984|date=November 15, 2018|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-5381-1643-2|pages=13|language=en}} After learning that she could sing, Prince later invited her to front a girl group he had formed called The Hookers.{{cite book |last=Draper|first=Jason|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EAVxDQAAQBAJ&dq=vanity+6+prince+1983&pg=PA34|title=Prince: Life and Times: Revised and Updated Edition|date=November 1, 2016|publisher=Chartwell Books|isbn=978-0-7603-5363-9|pages=34|language=en}} Prince initially wanted to name her "Vagina," pronounced "va-geen-na," which Matthews refused. They instead settled on Vanity, as he considered her to be the female form of himself.{{Sfn|Tudahl|2018|p=13}} The group was renamed Vanity 6.{{cite web|last=Buchalter|first=Gail|date=October 15, 1984|title=Her Romance with Prince Hit the Rocks, but Vanity's Singing Career Is Going Grrr-Eat|url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20088910,00.html|access-date=August 18, 2010|work=People}}

The group recorded one album, and had some success internationally with the single "Nasty Girl". They wore lingerie and Vanity's image became that of an erotic and sexy "nasty girl". She later stated in a 1993 interview that she was uncomfortable with the image she was given, saying "Prince created the whole Vanity 6 image. It bothered me at the time. I lied and said it was the image I wanted. I did it because he told me I had to do it. If I didn't do it, I wouldn't get paid. I got into it. I wanted the old Diana Ross image."

Vanity and Prince appeared on the cover of the April 28, 1983, issue of Rolling Stone magazine.{{cite magazine |last=Miller|first=Debby|date=April 28, 1983|title=Prince's Hot Rock: The Secret Life Of America's Sexiest One-Man Band|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/princes-hot-rock-the-secret-life-of-americas-sexiest-one-man-band-67501/ |access-date=January 1, 2022|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}} In August 1983, she abruptly left the group and turned down a role in the 1984 film Purple Rain, which went to her replacement, Apollonia Kotero.{{cite journal |date=May 5, 1986|title=Vanity Talks about Love, Prince and New Career in Records, Films|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mbADAAAAMBAJ&dq=vanity+jet+1986&pg=PA60|journal=Jet|pages=60–62}} In 1984, Vanity signed with Motown Records as a solo artist and recorded the funk-pop album Wild Animal.{{cite journal |date=August 13, 1984|title=Vanity 6 Lead Singer Cutting Motown Record|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4LADAAAAMBAJ&dq=vanity+motown+1984&pg=PA62|journal=Jet|pages=62}} She had mild success on the US pop and R&B charts with the singles "Pretty Mess" and "Mechanical Emotion."{{cite web |title=Vanity Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/Vanity.art |access-date=January 1, 2022|website=Music VF, US & UK hits charts}}

In 1985, Vanity made her mainstream film debut in The Last Dragon, which featured her song, "7th Heaven."{{cite web |date=February 15, 2021|title=Remembering Vanity Five Years Later|url=https://www.spin.com/2021/02/remembering-vanity-five-years-later/|access-date=December 30, 2021|website=Spin|language=en-US}} She wanted a role in the 1985 film The Color Purple, but Steven Spielberg thought she looked too young.{{cite web |date=January 27, 1988|title=Vanity is HOT|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/01/27/Vanity-is-HOT/7365570258000/ |access-date=December 31, 2021|work=United Press International|language=en}} In 1986, she released her second and last album, Skin on Skin, which produced the top 10 R&B hit "Under the Influence". That year, she also starred in the action film Never Too Young to Die opposite John Stamos and the Neo-noir crime film 52 Pick-Up.

In 1987, Vanity guest-starred in an episode of Miami Vice{{'}}s third season. She went on to co-star in the 1988 film Action Jackson, her highest profile role, in which she starred opposite Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, and Sharon Stone.{{cite journal |date=February 15, 1988|title=Carl Weathers and Vanity Talk About Hot Romance In 'Action jackson'|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fbsDAAAAMBAJ&dq=vanity+action+jackson+1988&pg=PA56|journal=Jet|pages=56–58}} Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times gave a negative review to Action Jackson, but praised Vanity's performance as "the movie’s one redeeming merit".{{cite web | url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/action-jackson-1988 | title=Action Jackson movie review & film summary (1988) | Roger Ebert }} She also appeared nude in the April 1988 issue of Playboy magazine.

Vanity had a role on numerous TV programs. She appeared in Friday the 13th: The Series in the episode entitled "Mesmer's Bauble" in 1989. She played a villain who tortured Nancy Allen's character in the 1990 TV movie Memories of Murder and appeared in an episode of Highlander: The Series in 1992. Her last role was in the film Kiss of Death in 1993.

Matthews attended the American Music Awards where she met Prince in January 1982;{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/20/the-sexy-holy-saga-of-vanity-prince-s-muse-who-found-god|title=The Sexy, Holy Saga of Vanity: Prince's Muse Who Found God|last=Williams|first=Stereo|date=February 20, 2016|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=November 4, 2017}} they then began dating shortly after. She was also linked romantically to Adam Ant, who wrote the track "Vanity" about her on his 1983 Strip album, and Billy Idol.{{cite journal|last=Christian|first=Margena A. |date=November 26, 2007|title=Vanity|journal=Jet|volume=112|issue=21|page=49|issn=0021-5996|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1joDAAAAMBAJ&q=vanity+anthony+smith&pg=PA49}}

During an appearance on The Late Show (1986 talk show) in 1987, Matthews announced that she and Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx were engaged. She often joked that she would become Vanity 6 (Sixx) again. In his memoir, The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star, Sixx detailed their volatile relationship and drug use.{{Cite news|last=Williams|first=Stereo|date=February 20, 2016|title=The Sexy, Holy Saga of Vanity: Prince's Muse Who Found God|language=en|work=The Daily Beast|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/20/the-sexy-holy-saga-of-vanity-prince-s-muse-who-found-god|access-date=December 31, 2021}}{{cite web |date=February 16, 2016|title=Remembering Vanity, The Prince Protégé Who Got a Second Chance|url=https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1023-remembering-vanity-the-prince-protege-who-got-a-second-chance/|access-date=December 31, 2021|website=Pitchfork|language=en-US}} He stated that Vanity taught him how to freebase cocaine.{{cite web |last=Daly|first=Sean|date=October 14, 2007|title=Motley Crue memoir not for squeamish|url=https://www.montereyherald.com/general-news/20071014/motley-crue-memoir-not-for-squeamish |access-date=December 31, 2021|website=Monterey Herald|language=en-US}}

On her first anniversary of sobriety, Matthews married football player Anthony Smith of the Oakland Raiders in 1995.{{cite journal|date=April 17, 1995|title=Vanity Weds Pro Football Star Anthony Smith After Monthlong Courtship|journal=Jet|volume=87|issue=23|page=14|issn=0021-5996|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=czkDAAAAMBAJ&q=vanity+anthony+smith&pg=PA14}} While working as an evangelist in San Jose, she read about Smith's philanthropic activities in Los Angeles. "The Lord told me that I would go down to L.A. and minister to him," she told Ebony. They met in late February 1995, and three days later, she proposed to him. After a one-month whirlwind romance, they married at Smith's home in Playa del Rey in April. Smith later revealed that they often argued about her kind nature, which caused her to habitually invite homeless people into their home for food and showers and give out their home number to complete strangers.{{cite journal |date=June 1995|title=At Home With Vanity And Her New Husband|journal=Ebony|volume= 50| issue = 8|pages=54–58}} Due to his volatility, their marriage ended in 1996. After they separated, Smith was arrested for domestic violence involving another woman and was later convicted of three murders.{{cite web |url=https://www.gq.com/story/nfl-anthony-smith-oakland-raiders-murder|title=Ex-Raider Anthony Smith's Murder Trial and Violent Past|last=Dobie|first=Kathy|date=January 24, 2013|website=GQ}}

In 1992, Matthews met actor Sam J. Jones during the filming of Da Vinci's War. Jones invited Matthews to read the Bible with him during a lunch break.{{Cite news |date=July 12, 1997 |title=Vanity interview |work=Daily Press (Newspapers.com) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/237450622/?terms=%22DaVinci%27s%20War%22&match=1}} Shortly thereafter, Matthews became a born-again Christian, and in several interviews, she stated that she would not play any more sexualized roles. Simultaneously, she renounced her stage name Vanity and reverted to Denise Matthews. She traveled extensively throughout the South with her friend/agent Benjamin Jimerson-Phillips, giving her testimony of conversion to Christianity.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

In 1994, Matthews was hospitalized for three months for near-fatal kidney failure from a drug overdose. She recalled later that after being rushed to the hospital, doctors said she had three days to live while on life support. It was Jimerson-Phillips, who then sent Western Union telegrams to Prince, notifying him of her condition. She explained that Jesus appeared to her at this time and spoke to her, saying that if she promised to abandon her Vanity persona, he would save her.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

Upon her recovery, Matthews ended her performing career by cutting off all ties with Hollywood and shunning her former life in show business. She devoted herself to being a born-again Christian.{{cite web|url=http://www.iloveoldschoolmusic.com/wow-smoking-crack-cocaine-vanity-says-jesus-came-said/|access-date=February 18, 2016|date=October 5, 2014|work=I Love Old School Music|title=Wow! After Smoking Crack Cocaine, Vanity Says Jesus Came To Her And Said...}} In 1995, she said, "When I came to the Lord Jesus Christ, I threw out about 1,000 tapes of mine— every interview, every tape, every video, everything."{{cite book|last=Rettenmund|first=Matthew |title=Totally Awesome 80s: A Lexicon Of the Music, Videos, Movies, TV shows, Stars, and Trends Of That Decadent Decade|publisher=Macmillan|year=1996|page=57|isbn=0-312-14436-9}} Jimerson-Phillips stated: "I was there at her apartment at The Grand in Sherman Oaks, when she just started dumping things down the incinerator. I grabbed some of the items including a painting titled Tailspin, by famed artist Olivia; a cassette hand painted by Prince of unreleased music; and an assortment of other items I didn't want to see go into the trash. I even had to go down to the office and ask them to retrieve her gold album she had thrown away."{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

After a kidney transplant in 1997, Matthews dedicated the rest of her life full-time to Christ. She made speaking engagements at churches worldwide and she headed Pure Hearts Ministries in Fremont, California.{{cite web |title=Evangelist Denise Matthews (formerly Vanity of Vanity 6 with Prince) to Speak at A Positive Force LDC's African Fashion Show, Youth Benefit and Gospel Extravaganza on December 5, 2005 at CSUS University, Sacramento Grand Ballroom|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/11/prweb180857.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041123074806/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/11/prweb180857.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 23, 2004|access-date=December 31, 2021|website=PRWeb}}

In 2010, Matthews released her autobiography, Blame It On Vanity: Hollywood, Hell and Heaven.{{cite web|url=http://www.blameitonvanity.com/index3.php|access-date=August 18, 2010|date=February 15, 2016|work=Blame It On Vanity|title=Former Prince Protege', Denise "Vanity" Matthews of Vanity 6, Dies At 57|archive-date=February 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223073904/http://www.blameitonvanity.com/index3.php|url-status=dead}}

Due to kidney problems resulting from her decade-long cocaine addiction, Matthews had to undergo 20 minutes of peritoneal dialysis five times a day.{{cite web|first=Aria|last=Ellise|url=http://blackdoctor.org/481664/singer-vanity-dies-at-57/|website=BlackDoctor.org|access-date=February 18, 2016|date=February 15, 2016|title=Former Prince Protege', Denise "Vanity" Matthews of Vanity 6, Dies At 57}} She underwent a kidney transplant in 1997, but her health worsened in 2015 after she was diagnosed with sclerosing encapsulating peritonitis.{{cite magazine |last=Grow|first=Kory|date=February 16, 2016|title=Prince Collaborator Vanity Dead at 57|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/prince-collaborator-vanity-dead-at-57-224480/ |access-date=December 31, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}

Matthews died in a Fremont, California, hospital on February 15, 2016, from kidney failure, aged 57.Lenker, Margaret (February 15, 2016). [https://variety.com/2016/music/obituaries-people-news/vanity-dead-prince-denise-matthews-1201706763/ "Denise 'Vanity' Matthews, Singer and Protege of Prince, Dies at 57"]. Variety. Retrieved November 20, 2019. She left much of her estate to her church. After cremation, her ashes were scattered off the coast of Hawaii.

• Wild Animal (1984)
• Skin on Skin (1986)

• Vanity 6 (1982)

• 1985: The Last Dragon; "7th Heaven"
• 1988: Action Jackson; "Undress", "Faraway Eyes", and "Shotgun" with David Koz and featuring vocalist Kareem

• 1982: 1999, Prince; "Free" (backing vocals)
• 1982: What Time Is It?, The Time; "The Walk"{{cite web |url=http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_What_Time_Is_It?|title=Album: What Time Is It? – Prince Vault|website=princevault.com|language=en|access-date=December 2, 2017}} (spoken vocals)
• 1986: El DeBarge, El DeBarge; "Secrets of the Night" (backing vocals)

• 1982: "Nasty Girl", "He's So Dull", and "Drive Me Wild"
• 1984: "Pretty Mess"
• 1985: "7th Heaven" (video clips were from the movie The Last Dragon)
• 1986: "Under the Influence"
• 1988: "He Turned Me Out", a song performed by The Pointer Sisters from the soundtrack of Action Jackson. Vanity's co-star in the movie, Carl Weathers, appears alongside her in the video.
• 1991: "Vanity", a song performed by Dweezil Zappa. Vanity makes a cameo appearance

{{Portal|Biography|Canada|Ontario|Music|Film|Television}}

• List of people in Playboy 1980–1989

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [https://blameitonvanity.com Vanity Official website]
• {{IMDb name|0889152|Vanity}}
• {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p21236|label=Vanity}}
• [https://sites.google.com/site/lastdragontribute/vanity--denise-katrina-matthews Denise "Vanity" Matthews from The Last Dragon Tribute] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010162532/https://sites.google.com/site/lastdragontribute/vanity--denise-katrina-matthews |date=October 10, 2020 }}
• {{cite magazine |magazine= Billboard |url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/6875318/vanity-denise-katrina-matthews-prince-vanity-6-dies-at-57 |title= Vanity, Former Prince Protégé & Leader of the Vanity 6, Dies at 57 |first= Colin |last= Stutz |series= Obituary |date= February 15, 2016 }}

{{Vanity (singer)}}

{{Vanity 6}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vanity}}

Category:1959 births

Category:2016 deaths

Category:Actresses from Ontario

Category:A&M Records artists

Category:Black Canadian actresses

Category:20th-century Black Canadian women singers

Category:20th-century Canadian women singers

Category:Canadian Christians

Category:Canadian dance musicians

Category:Canadian expatriate actresses in the United States

Category:Female models from Ontario

Category:Canadian film actresses

Category:Canadian people of African-American descent

Category:Canadian contemporary R&B singers

Category:Canadian soul singers

Category:Canadian television actresses

Category:Converts to Christianity

Category:Deaths from kidney failure in California

Category:Geffen Records artists

Category:Motown artists

Category:Musicians from the Regional Municipality of Niagara

Category:Singers from Ontario

Category:People from Niagara Falls, Ontario

Category:Vanity 6 members

Category:Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area

Category:Canadian people of Polish-Jewish descent

Category:Canadian evangelists

Category:Canadian women pop singers

Category:Canadian people of German-Jewish descent

Category:Canadian feminist musicians

Category:Kidney transplant recipients

Category:Warner Records artists

Category:Women evangelists